Re: for or/and to Suggesting that someone 'come for dinner' is informal, and implies that, whatever you're cooking for tea, you'll make double; or if a family situation, an extra table setting will be provided, and you just join the family for dinner. "Look - after work, why not come round for dinner and we can go on to the stag party from there?"
Inviting someone to dinner is more formal. It suggests that the person is to be a special guest, and that the food served will be more special than what one might normally have for an evening meal; probably with wine and a special desert.
John starts a new job, and John's wife suggests that he invite his new boss and his wife to dinner. John and his wife will obviously try to impress, (as opposed to 'taking pot luck'=sharing in whatever has been cooked for the evening meal that night.) |